Everton FC

[Thomp]

I figured with my boyhood club going up in the world, they deserved their own thread :)

So what better way to start it off with breaking news on the Yakubu situation:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/e/everton/6958847.stm

Sounds like Boro finally relented and accepted our £11m bid for him. His strike rate in the Premiership Premier League is second to none, and he should forma a formidable partnership up front with Johnson :D

In other news, the Manuel Fernandes deal is almost concluded, we're just awaiting international clearance for him, and AJ's injury isn't as bad as first thought, though he could be out for up to 3 weeks.

[jonffm]

Shouldn't news about the B-Team stay in the Liverpool thread?

:ninja:

Anyways - he's a good capture, i've always rated him as a striker far too good for Middlesborough. I'm surprised the Mancs didn't swoop. Their loss.

[Thomp]

He's second to Henry in the most prolific goalscorers over the last four seasons :)

And if you want to re-name the Liverpool thread to "Liverpool and Everton", then I'd be glad to post in there :p

[jonffm]

I won't get THAT carried away though! He's good, but he's not world class. He should bag a good 15+ goals though.


Anddd...How about "Clubs that play in Liverpool"?

http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverpool-news/regional-news/2007/07/17/everton-must-move-to-kirkby-64375-19465235/

Oh......erm..

:D

[Thomp]

The results of the ballot will be revealed tomorrow at 10:30am.

I'm resigned myself to the fact that we're moving... to some shitty box-shaped stadium. Disappointed does not sum up how I feel ¬¬

[Shave]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/e/everton/6961678.stm

yep, looks like you're on the move

[Thomp]

Disgraceful. Ballots were sent out to 36,000 Evertonians, and only 25,000 voted, AND 15,000 of those voted "Yes".

So, even though we have a world wide fan base of 750,000, 15,000 decided we should move to some box in Kirkby.

I'm gutted.

[Luna]

Yakubu is the kind of player who should be at a club of Everton's caliber, never understood why he went to Boro.

Also, do you not want a box shaped stadium? I always like the look of stadiums which are just 4 stands around a pitch, not this bowl sort of thing.

[Thomp]

The design, in my view, is terrible. Apparently it's based on some German stadiums, but it just looks out of place for an English stadium.

There's just something about it that makes it look really blocky and unwelcoming. What annoys me more today though, is the fact that 10,000 ballotees didn't even bother to vote. People like me and other Evertonians I know (who couldn't vote) could have used that ballot to voice our opinions, and yet we were overlooked.

Fat twins Keith and Bill won't be here in 50 years to care about "The Tesco Stadium". It's the likes of me and other persons under 21 who will have to live with the fact that we've been shipped out of Liverpool, and will have to put with Liverpudlians chanting "We're the only club in Liverpool".

In my eyes, the entire upper echleons of Everton Football Club are a disgrace and should be removed.

Don't get me wrong, I still love Everton and will probably end up seeing them play in the new stadium, but this isn't the right move for us, in my opinion.

[Luna]

I haven't actually seen the proposed design, I'll go find it now.

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/44010000/jpg/_44010513_everground203.jpg

Looks like a baseball stadium to me.

[Thomp]

Everton 1-1 Blackburn

Well we got a point. It was a tale of two halves for us really. Started brightly, could have scored but then Blackburn got a shocking goal. Our defence was abject for that and Hibbert playing Cruz onside in the first place was embarassing.

After that, everything was rushed. We hoofed long balls forward to strikers who were a foot shorter than Blackburn's centre backs. We didn't win challenges, second balls and we got over-ran and could have conceded at least another. Hibbert was absolutely awful, and should be dropped for at least 3 games because he's just so fucking bad. He can't pass, and yet anyone will tell you that you HAVE to be able to pass in a Premier League starting XI. Stubbs and Cars have no pace, and Moyes needs to look at whether they should start every game.

Once Jags and Anichebe came on, we looked a lot more balanced, and the second half was much improved. Neville looks more assured at RB, and why Moyes can't see it is pathetic. Jags should start next week, he looked lively and could have grabbed a goal. AJ didn't look fully fit, but really should have scored too. Faddy and Baines were our best players, linking up well and getting good crosses in. Once we scored, Arteta looked so much more confident and should play much better next week.

The main talking point from this game though, will be: Why didn't Lescott start?

Next home game, we need to play a lot better. The passing must be crisper, the finishing must be less rushed and the overall performance has to be upped. However, a point from a game like that is decent.

Ratings:

Howard 7, Hibbert 3, Stubbs 5, Yobo 5, Baines 8, Osman 5, Carsley 5, Neville 6, Arteta 7, AJ 6, Faddy 8. (subs: Jagileka 7, Anichebe 5, Lescott 6).

[Thomp]

2-1 FT.

That was way too close. Glad we won it... but:

1) Why is Moyes the only one who can't see that Neville and Carsley can't play in the centre of midfield?
2) Arteta and AJ are so low on confidence it's unreal... Moyes needs to talk to them.
3) Our "solid" defence is leaking goals left, right and centre. Needs tightening up.

However, it's 3 points and now we can go into the game with United in 2 weeks and batter them :p

[Luna]

Yeah so we let you win today. Figured you might struggle and need a couple of mercy points. Although I must say Yakubu looks much better in blue than in red. Reminds me of his old Pompey days.


Fucking Lescott.